teaching splatter painting to adults

Today I taught my 5th Splatter Painting Workshop through VineArts.
I love to let the paint fly!
and I love to encourage others to allow their creative hearts to be set free by using splatter painting techniques. we start out by doing some Jackson Pollock type painting and then let the creativity flow where it will. splatter techniques can enhance other styles of painting and mediums...the only limitation is your own imagination.

we listen to expressive music during the workshop to help people get into a creative zone where the paint and the music and their hearts can converge and dance together. what they create is pretty amazing, as it comes from within them...it's very therapeutic and allows for personal expression.

Pure Freedom!!!

towards the end of the workshop we all worked together on one large canvas (5ftx13ft) to create a Pollock-style masterpiece...yes, that's right...all of us together working on one painting. it's pretty incredible to experience. what starts out to be several individuals painting...turns into a dance of paint and bodies and canvas becoming one. afterwards everyone is pretty elated and covered in paint!

*photo credits to J.Nilo

breathe again

"breathe again" 32x47 mixed media on cardboard. c.2010 Lisa Marten

This is my newest painting. I took an 18x24 impressionistic oil painting I had done years ago of the Isle of Coll, Scotland and fixed it to primed cardboard that I had glued printed text to. Then I used latex house paints to create the abstract expressionist effect.

I wanted this painting to portray a hope that is stronger than our circumstances & situations...that regardless of how things look or feel in our lives...there is always hope, always grace, always a chance to breathe again.

I call this painting: breathe again. The text in the background says: all shall be well, and all shall be well, every manner of thing shall be well...no matter what...there is grace.

CD Artwork & Graphics Projects

I recently had the honor of being contracted to do the artwork and graphics for musician/producer Daniel Cordova's new CD. The CD has just been released. I wanted to show you the cover artwork that I came up with for him.

I enjoy doing projects like this...working together with the client to create for them what speaks their vision and heart. If you're interested in Daniel's music, you can find his Page on Facebook and become a fan.

action painting

For FREEDOM!

Photo taken by E. Kessler

What an amazing night painting live large scale at The Woman of Steel Gallery in Boise!

i painted a mural on a 4foot high x 16foot long plywood surface to music. the theme of the night was "Order and Chaos"...this was fitting, as i really didn't know what i was going to paint, but it began to come to life and take form throughout the night as i allowed the music and the creative vibe from the venue to lead me.

creating the background

creating colorful texture

what started out to look like a water wave turned into the phoenix bird rising
the words i painted said: you were born out of fire and water for such a time as this.

painting finishing touches

my finished mural that will be taken on the "Liberty Rising" tour across the nation.

inside the Woman of Steel Gallery...there were 2 art exhibits (paintings by Emily Wenner and an audio/visual installation by Natasha Louie) and live jazz music being featured, along with wine and food.
the Gallery has 2 rooms with a wine bar that looks into the welding studio and there's an upstairs cigar room.
THE Woman of Steel (Irene Deely) welding metal hands to her "Vision Vessel" metal sculpture (customers paid to have their hands traced & write something on them).
the start of "Vision Vessel"

at 11:30pm Irene lit "Vision Vessel" to do an Obstacle Burn (customers wrote on pieces of paper what their "obstacles" in life were that are keeping them from fulfilling their dreams and they were placed in a metal basket inside the sculpture). there were firecrackers in the obstacle basket that went off as the papers were lit...symbolizing the release of the obstacles for people...and then we toasted with champagne!

this event was the fundraiser launch for Irene's third national "Liberty Rising" tour with her 8foot metal sculpture of Lady Liberty kickboxing evil titled "Liberty Lets Roll" (inspired by Todd Beamer on 9-11). For more info about the Liberty Rising tour, about metal artist Irene Deely, and about The Woman of Steel Gallery, go to: www.womanofsteelgallery.com

FREEDOM IS WORTH LIVING AND FIGHTING FOR!

Painting LIVE at Woman of Steel Gallery!

FOUR ARTISTS LEND THEIR TALENTS TO CREATE AN UNFORGETTABLE EVENING!

7pm, Friday August 6th, at The WOMAN OF STEEL GALLERY, Garden City (Boise, Idaho).

www.womanofsteelgallery.com

The owner and sculptor of Woman of Steel Gallery, IRENE DEELY invites the public to be part of an outdoor sculpture, "Vision Vessel" by contributing tracings of their hands that will be added to the work during the evening with an "Obstacle Burn" at 11:30PM.

LISA MARTEN (that's me!) will be painting "The Experience" on a large Mural in the parking lot. Yes, I'm painting LIVE to music!

In the Gallery: NATASHA LOUIE's intriguing installation combines her original video productions into a Forest of Televisions for a unique experience. EMILY WENNER's thought provoking paintings reveal a skilled and gifted artist with an extraordinary perception of human relationships.

This EXCLUSIVE ONE NIGHT EXHIBITION promises to keep guests engaged and inspired!

In addition, the VISUAL ART COLLECTIVE (VAC) located just across "The Alley" is introducing a new artist...not to be missed!! $15 at the door include wine/beer and refreshments.(Proceeds will help fund a cross country exhibition of local artists)

VineArts Gallery Exhibit "Embracing Glory"

today we had our Opening Reception for "Embracing Glory" (the new art exhibit in the VineArts Gallery at Vineyard Boise). i made a short video to give you a feel of the event and hopefully entice you to make your way over to view the exhibit sometime in the next 2 months. the show will run from August 1st thru the beginning of October. there are around 30 artists featured with over 60 pieces of art displayed.